“What is this!?” you ask as you have just clicked the link from Twitter to read this recap. Your eyes are wide, your face full of awe, the slight hint of — could it be? yes…yes, it is! — drool making its way out your mouth and down your chin, the glisten in your pupil begins to expand!
IT’S A TOTALLY NEW LOOK ON NWN AHHHHH!!!!
So if you haven’t noticed by now, NWN looks a bit different. We hope you like it. Look, we tried okay? Do we not get effort for that!? I think this one matches our (and my…) personality better. And we think it’s awesome. Not in a conceited way, just in a we checked ourselves out in the mirror and we’d totally bang us way. (Yes we’ve heard some concerns; no one likes change! But hey there’s a dedicated rewatch section on the homepage now!)
Okay, let me get on with it. This week, I was at the live rewatch and was excited to watch what everyone told me would be a huuuuuuge cliffhanger for “Surprise.” I gotta say that it wasn’t THAT huge. I could have waited a week! I mean, I know that in the grand scheme of things Angel losing his humanity is HUGE but the only thing I would have gathered from that cliffhanger is that he got a hernia or something. I mean, he did just go through a workout. Heh heh heh.
Last week, everyone told me that Spike is JUST THE BEST OKAY SHUT UP and I decided not to respond to those comments because I’m REALLY bad at confrontation, so instead I’ll offer my reasoning here. The way Spike was presented was full-on badass. I know everyone is saying that’s not the reason you love him, but that’s how he was presented. How else do you label someone whose first scene is him driving in a sweet car, knocking down a sign, and then smoking a cigarette in a leather jacket? Legally night blind? Then his second scene was him bragging that he killed three other slayers in his lifetime. Unfortunately, he hasn’t lived up to his introduction in the least. For the time begin, the reason I think Drusilla could be a better villain is because she has more connection to Angel (and therefore Buffy). Yes, Spike loves Dru and that means he has a thread in that connection, but the execution is just not strong enough in this second season. People like Ted have brought better emotional havoc to Buffy and Friends than Spike and Dru. Even in “Surprise,” Buffy dreams of Dru killing Angel. Spike isn’t even in the dream! See where I’m getting at? That’s what I think, anyway. And of course, there’s a lot of series left to figure out who the Spike character is, because apparently HE’S JUST THE BEST so I’m going to shut up now.
Okay now that I’ve made my grievances in the beginning, I have an entire post left to win you over!
IT’S 1998!!!!! WOOHOO!
Hey remember when Joyce was the worst and then she redeemed herself and then became the worst again in “Ted” (yes she was drugged, but could she at least cough up an apology? no, ugh)? Well here she is again being ridiculous, y’know, given the circumstances.
I think she’s closer to getting her name right.
I mean, if my daughter saved me from A SERIAL KILLER, I’d probably be like, “Okay, just ONE slutty outfit.” But Joyce has completely forgot that just a week ago she was in the embraces of a psychopathic … err robot … and that her daughter saved her life or whatever. And she’s REALLY concerned about this.
And it doesn’t help matters that Joyce has to choose between getting some fliers and picking up some outfit at a store and the stores ARE ABOUT TO CLOSE RIGHT NOW (even though there looks to be about a bajillion people in the mall).
So she sends Buffy to get the outfit. And when going down the escalator she realizes that the one half of a couple going up is a vampire because his reflection doesn’t show in some HUGE ASS MIRROR. WHAT THE HELL? How did NO ONE else notice this!?!?! If these are the people populating Sunnydale, then they probably deserve to die, seriously.
Being the good slayer she is, Buffy decides to go kill the vamp. And when she gets there, they tussle, and the most awesomest thing ever happens. The vampire catches his hat while he’s in the middle of a summersault. HOW? WHAT? LOGIC DEFIED.
It was awesome. But for the most part this guy was actually going to be a recurring story this episode and it was like why? Anyway, Buffy goes to eat food and doesn’t like it which I take offense to because Cajun Grill is amazing Buffy so please! And she doesn’t have the dress so Joyce is all:
And so Buffy decides to offer some truth and I’m like YES JUST PLEASE.
Ugh. And this is now the second time Joyce has admitted she doesn’t understand her daughter at all. So, y’know…
We get the Turn Face theme song and then…
Oh, I should mention that the reason I’m really recapping this episode so much (instead of skipping it like I do most standalones) is because I REALLY liked this episode. More so than the other two. Someone told me I’m weird like that. And also apparently a couple of people are telling other people that some random guy on the Internet is watching Buffy (and one is taking bets on whom I’ll like?). I think I should feel awesome. And sure, I could edit this post and put this in some other part but that’s now how I do. I stream of consciousness these bihhhs!
…anyway, and then we get an AWESOME Xander and Cordelia scene.
I’m really glad that Xander has lasted as Cordelia’s boyfriend(?) for longer than an episode. That most likely means he won’t show up dead…besides the fact that he’s a series regular. Thus far, the way to survive Sunnydale is to (A) NOT be near any lockers and (B) NOT date Cordelia. You’d think that being Buffy’s friend would help, but we all know how those FOTEs ended up….
And then this happened:
Seriously, stop being Mean Girls, BTVS! Mr. Whimore, who obviously wrote his name on the board because the kids he sees everyday will forget, gives everyone eggs to take care of. I’ve never done this. Has anyone else?
Oh, wait. I think I once had to make a baby with a 5lb sugar body and carry it around. I can’t remember. Again, I could have edited this post, but where’s the fun in that?
Anyway, he gives everyone eggs. I’m going to guess that he was already overtaken by that creepy parasite thing when he gave out these eggs because it doesn’t make sense otherwise. And HOW he got infected is thinking too much so I won’t.
BUT HOW? EXPLAIN YO’SELF.
So anyway, since Buffy missed the three-minute-long class, Willow had to give her the egg.
And this is where Buffy mentions that everything she takes care of dies. INCLUDING HER GIGA PET. Holy crap, even though it’s 1998 — it’s still very much the ’90s on Buffy, reminding me of the Tamagotchi days (don’t lie, you had one). Don’t worry, Buffs. Those damn things died for NO REASON. If you just looked away for a second you’d find your damn pet with Xs for eyes already.
Sheesh. The ’90s were so stressful.
Anyway, Buffy is now a single mother taking care of a not-understandable thing, yeah yeah yeah parallels you understand. Moving on. Buffy and Angel decide to make out and IT’S THE LOUDEST OMG.
I don’t think I’ve ever advocated for people to use tongue a little more so that their lips will stop smacking together and thus not have my ear drums pop! As someone who tweeted me put it, obviously SMG and DB have microphones inside of their mouthes during these scenes.
Okay okay so this kissing scene was really loud and passionate and it took place in a graveyard. I’m just saying, Buffy and Angel OBVIOUSLY get off on dead people surrounding them, proving my theory from last week (the ice rink) correct. They decide to kiss some more after looking for vampires in a quick glimpse (even though they’re seriously in plain sight) and I’m wondering why this southern vamp is still a storyline.
So anyway, I know a lot of people are probably wondering why I liked this episode (especially over the following two) and it comes down this scene. Buffy is in bed, tucks her egg in, and goes to sleep. But the egg does this:
I was BEYOND creeped out. For some reason things like this REALLY creep me out. And this was the scene where the episode was like “Yeah, we gon try and scare you and what?” And, guys, THEY SUCCEEDED. This was the first time I’ve been scared watching this show (not this scene, but I’ll mention when…and the most HILARIOUS non-scary thing happens this episode too). I previously mentioned that something scared me before, but this lasted like an entire episode. SO…this is why I liked this episode more than the next ones.
Oh and this is obviously a future reference to The Secret Circle.
Which also creeped me out because I’m very scared of parasitical things entering your brain and stuff. Obviously, my fears are very rational.
Then this happens.
Ugh, what is this? Why are you here? Someone please tell me this has importance in a following episode or something because WHAT IS THE POINT? Just stop.
And then Sarah Michelle Gellar gets up from a bad night’s rest looking sexy as hell, as is the norm with TV/film.
And then Joyce tries to pretend she’s a good mom.
Ugh I hate Joyce for making me hate her and then have awesome, real-moment type scenes like this tongue-in-cheek one right here. Pick a lane, BTVS!
And then yet another black character we’ve never seen before dies.
At least I’m guessing that’s what happens. And now we’re at the part that creeped me out / scared me.
AND THEN THIS:
(This GIF stops after a while, but it moves I promise. Refresh the page and come back!)
Ew ew ew eww ew ewklafsdf ewwwww! EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW. And Buffy’s just there like.
GUH. ROSS. Anyway, she has to, like, kill this thing. It’s crawling all around her room and I’m completely grossed out because of my parasitical fears. And then it crawls on her and I get the heebie jeebies. But she decides to stab it relentlessly (where’s PETA?) and it’s dead. She figures, hey maybe I should call Willow to warn her that THERE’S A THING INSIDE THE EGG TRYING TO ATTACK YOU, but Willow is like “Dude, chill.” But it turns out it already got to her!!!
So then Joyce walks in and decides to ground Buffy. But Buffy covers up the creature with a towel even though — AGAIN — just telling her mom would be the best option. Anyway, a lot of stuff happens, including infected Cordelia and Willow bashing Buffy and Xander on the head, and everyone in school is mummified and whatnot. Then Joyce is a horrible mother again when she goes “Kids are — well, I don’t want to say burden. ACTUALLY, I kind of do want to say burden.” Whatevs, Joyce.
And then I had the MOST AMAZING LAUGH during this:
HAHAHAHAAHAHAAA!!! Oh, my god. You guys, seriously. I’m in tears right now as I’m writing!!!! I can’t express the hilarity of this scene. It’s a combination of Giles’ extremely slow way of putting the parasite on Joyce and her hilarious reaction when it’s on her. It’s so effing hilarious, I can’t. It sort of reminds me of — well, okay, we have a contributor MacKenzie who did a Vampire Diaries and Secret Circle podcast with me here and told me to watch H2O: Just Add Water, which is a series that airs on TeenNick with Phoebe Tonkin and Claire Holt (from Australia). Anyway, Phoebe and Claire play mermaids and when they transition they sort of fall EXACTLY like this. And it’s so hilarious EVERY SINGLE TIME.
So this is really funny. Fast forward, a lot of stuff happens and it turns out there’s some huge thing living under the school for convenience reasons that wants to take over the world and then Buffy kills it and the day is saved. Joyce still thinks Buffy needs to learn responsibility even though she just saved the world for the umpteenth time and isn’t the least bit happy that her daughter didn’t suffer through a “gas leak” OR THAT SHE SAVED HER FROM A SERIAL KILLER JUST A WEEK AGO JOYCE OMG WHAT IS YOUR LIFE? And then Buffy and Angel make out really loudly. Roll credits.
The Grade: I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this episode. You have no idea. Fantastic!
So since I spent forever talking about “Bad Eggs” and I need to publish this today, let’s just get through the most important parts of the following two episodes. The first installment of this two-parter dealt with Buffy thinking of giving in to her…uh…urges with Angel. Let’s break it down:
So the beginning of this episode is Buffy having a dream in which she’s on Friends. How else do you explain the following:
Yes, the monkey. Marcel! Duh. Or even this:
Cups so big that they might as well have a nipples on them! (Friends fans will understand this reference.)
Remember how I was completely elated when Giles said, “More than I?” Well imagine how devastated I was when Angel said:
He totally Justin Bieber’d it. “Was.” Very saddening here. (Okay to be fair, Giles is obviously a character that would get this right and Angel is not, but STILL. I was so happy.)
The basis of this episode is that Buffy has a dream that she’s on Friends in which Drusilla is still alive and kills Angel. My favorite thing about this, actually, is what you guys have told me — the show has great continuity. The continuity of Buffy’s dreams being prophetic is great…and it certainly makes sense. Good for you BTVS!
I’m not going to lie to you. I knew this one. I have spent fifteen years knowing absolutely ZERO things about Buffy until I actually started watching it. And it’s not like I’ve been trolling tags or something. They just keep showing up EVERYWHERE. Some of the biggest ones obviously being Willow, the fate of a certain character, and Jenny being a gypsy. But the gypsy thing I just kept telling myself, “Nah. They lyin’! They mean it like…I don’t know, something else.”
But no, she’s like a real gypsy.
This curse, however, is weird. How is this bad for Angel? Who put this curse on him? Obviously not the gypsies because they didn’t want it to happen. The curse just seems a bit counterintuitive. Like, “We hate you so much and what you did we’re going to punish you by making sure you revert back into the thing we hate so much!!!” Moving on…
Proving yet again that there is zero reason to not tell Joyce. I can’t even explain how anticlimactic this was, just like when anyone else finds out. And hey look, Oz will probably NOT be in danger anymore. Unlike Joyce. Again.
Because the show needed something else that could be an all-out threat to Buffy and Co., they created The Judge. And he’s like some guy that just kills anyone that has good in them, apparently.
Oh and also, he looks like Hellboy.
Since they tried to fight this Judge guy, Angel and Buffy are pretty shaken up. So they decide to relax by doing the deed.
And then Angel has a hernia so he runs out in the rain.
The Grade: It wasn’t bad, but the second parts of two-parters on Buffy are always better. Also, did anyone notice the colors Buffy and Dru wore the entire episode?! SUCH INTELLIGENT SYMBOLISM.
Okay, so I’ve never been a seventeen year old girl, but I imagine the things you DON’T want to happen after you do that for the first time are the following:
Correct me if I’m wrong.
At least Angel’s consistent with how he tries to ruin women’s lives.
In this episode, Willow finds out that Xander and Cordelia have been hooking up. And UGH WHY?? You guys warned me, but I was NOT prepared for these Willow feels!!!
It’s like someone purposefully went inside me and ripped my heart out. WILLOW!
I still have zero idea how vampires smoke without breath. Anyone?
That just deserved to be here.
As well as this:
Also, let’s not mention how a mall full of witnesses saw a seventeen year old girl shoot some blue guy with a bazooka but Joyce is still oblivious, shall we?
The Grade: A lot of what this episode relies on is if you’re heavily invested in the Angel and Buffy relationship, and the fact just remains that I’m not. This is most likely why I liked “Bad Eggs” much more. The good news is that I AM invested in Buffy herself, so thank you for trying really hard to make me cry in that final scene, Buffy writers. Why would you do that to me? And also everyone knows I’m a sucker for some good Xander/Cordelia scenes and an ending Giles/Buffy scene. THE GILES/BUFFY SCENE.
Also, here are a couple of funny Angel faces:
All right! That about wraps it up for this week. I was definitely thinking of making a poll for a new schedule but I put this up so late… agh. Anyway, join us for more live-watching this Monday at 9:30pm EDT as per usual!
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you'll learn more about the curse in Becoming, don't worry :P
still doesn't make sense tbh
The curse makes more sense in Angel season 1 and 2! But here's my input on the Angel character, he is technically the only vampire that has the right to be broody and upset unlike Damon and Stefan (except for me Stefan gets more consideration because he got compelled a hella lot but the show don't want to talk about it because it just about Damon's feels).
Agreed.
Angel has a damn good reason to be brooding.
The show does not excuse his guilt or his actions or his flaws. There are no compulsions, no convenient "ripper disease". And he himself can't excuse anything he did as Angelus because what makes Angelus, all those wishes, all those urges, all those horrible things, is ALWAYS part of who Angel is.
Steffie and Damon's pasts look like Teletubbies when compared to all the horrors that Angelus has done. And while rest of Fanged Four did quite a lot of bad things in the past too, Angelus shines as one of the most horrible and dangerous vampires in the history of buffyverse. Someone with a horrible talent for misery, torture and suffering. Someone to whom it all is an art. Part of his masterpiece he is working on.
Okay I'm counting on it because I am CONFUSED.
The Gypsies cursed Angel with a soul, so that he would feel the guilt of everything he'd already done. By the time they realized Buffy was around, he was pretty much on his way to happy, which meant that the whole point if his having a soul (guilt, misery, angst and brooding) was out the window. So, he lost it and just reverted back to the same nasty demon.
Not the most intelligent end to a curse tbhm but I hope that makes it a little less confusing!
Going by what is known by this point:
Soul is morality.
As Angel already said, he was quite a mean guy.As Implied by "Surprise", he tried to do something similar as what he did with Drusilla to some gipsy girl, but ended up getting the wrath of entire clan.
The "elders" wanting to take revenge upon him, conjured a curse. Since they wanted Angel to suffer, the best way to do that was, as Angel said in "Angel" is to make him care about what he did. So they restored his soul, his "moral compass" so to say with the curse with the direct intention of causing him pain and suffering.
Now if he turns that curse into a gift and actually learns to be happy despite his guilt, they would end up HELPING him by cursing him, right? So they make sure that he looses his soul again, forcing whoever he is with to put him out of his misery, which is why Jenny is horrified by the current events.
There's more about the curse but that gets explained latter on in this season. Angel(And Spike, Darla, Drusilla, all the fabulous Fanged Four) has quite a "colorful" history that is even too big for one show to display.
The curse was meant to make Angelus suffer for his crimes. He's supposed to be guilty and stuff all the time. If he gets over it, what's the point? They're not in the justice business. This is about suffering. This is vengeance.
My favorite two episodes of the season.
Oz knowing about the paranormal stuff will be explained in the next episode. Don't worry.
To be fair, I don't think it's bad. I thought it was humorous. It just doesn't feel like a big deal to tell people, which is why I'm confused as to why Buffy doesn't tell her mom.
Thing is...Buff's mom SHOULD get it at this point. I mean, she outright TOLD her in Bad Eggs. But her mother just can't wrap her head around it. She's in major denial, even though she should have caught a few red flags at this point.
I really think Joyce loves the hell out of her daughter, but she doesn't know what to do with her. So she just kind of distances herself from all the craziness that she really doesn't understand.
Yeah but who would just be like "Oh okay" when Buffy tells her at that moment, y'know? Maybe if she had just slain a vampire then and there. And haha yes I know Joyce loves her; I'm just giving her a hard time.
Yeah, I know. I just feel protective of Joyce for...reasons (to steal your thing lol).
Just you wait, Henry Higgins, just you wait! /Eliza Doolittle
I am guessing Buffy is trying to protect her mother.
Let's be fair, this supernatural stuff is completely ruining Buffy life, now Imagine how much stress and pain would it cause for joyce of finding out that Buffy could get killed any day and that, oh well, she has DIED ONCE ALREADY?
Buffy fears that Joyce won't understand, that her mother will be horrified and so on.
"Oh hey mom, I just happen to be a vampire slayer, this town is actually a gateway to HELL, my ex-boyfriend is now a homicidal supernatural maniac trying to kill us all, there are vampires and demons everywhere in town that can theoretically kill me anytime in my job and, oh by the way, last year I got drowned and was dead for a few minutes, so how was your day?"
Actually I love on how nonchalant Oz is about it. Fits his character and the whole build up about the Town itself.
Do people like Spike because he is bad ass? I like his ass but not because it's bad. I am more of a fan of his way with words, his lovely coat, cheekbones and rock hard abs, I'm shallow, no shame in that.
It's a good job he is so pretty because as a villain he is terrible, it might even be alluded to in future series.
I was never a fan of Angel and Buffy as couple either, there are a couple, well one, scene that does make me tear up a bit but he became about a billion times more interesting when he sodded off to Los Angeles to open his improbable detective agency.
Oh when you have finished with Buffy, in about 4 years, can you do Angel?
No that's exactly the point. People like him, but not because he's a badass. But I'm told it takes a while to get to that point I guess. And 4 years? That's way too soon. It's obviously gonna take like 8. :D
I think a lot of Spike's appeal comes from the development of his character. He's sort of one-note right now, but he gets a lot more layers in the coming episodes. He also transforms into many different...versions of himself as time goes on.
Lay aside the praise for Spike, and just enjoy him as you go :) He's always snarky, so that's fun.
To be short, People like Spike because he is Spike.
He has his very unique flavor of "badass" that takes time to understand or see.
I'll tell you and be brutal in my honesty... I don't think he ever becomes a badass. Just different levels of pathetic.
I cannot say that wither Spike or Angel (never even watched his series) are interesting outside of Buffy. Angelus is definitely where it's at.
Well, for Spike and Angelus, its two different styles of badass.
Angelus is far more terrifying and evil. Its the badassness in the way Voldemort or Sauron or Joker is badass. He is a trickster, a cold-blooded manipulator, the devil in the rumors of the townsfolk, everything sick and twisted that you could find in a human and the kind of folk that Voltaire's "When you're evil" sings about.
Spike is this punk-rock "i do what I want the way I want it" kind of dude who could care less about norms, regulations or expectations, living for himself and for what he loves(in this case, Drusilla). He is the kind of rebel Sex Pistols, Ramones or Billy Idol would sing about.
Angel is....a bit more difficult to understand or explain at first. His series does add a frightening amount of depth into him though and he is not exactly a tortured puppy either. The thing to get is that everything that is Angelus IS in Angel. "Angel" is who he wants to be, "Angelus" is who he can very easily be. And whenever he wanted or had a reason he would be able to pull off things at the same level as Angelus does.
Man, if you can't get into Angel, I don't know how you're going to make it through Season 4.
I can't NOT get into Angel; I just don't…uh how do I say this properly…well like I said, I'm not that invested in his and Buffy's relationship, unlike say Xander/Cordelia (which for right now is much more one dimensional but still). Besides a lot of people have said they don't like season 4, but love the series as a whole.
nop he got his own series and cordelia is there too
I'm saying if you can't get into this relationship duo, then you will struggle through her man in S4 because that relationship is THE MOST BORING EVAR.
Other good stuff happens in s4 though, especially in hindsight. The core characters have a crazy amount of development and change when they start college life, which is how it should be. I also didn't get that couple myself, I think that's where I started getting irritated with Buffy- well I won't say more. ....but she was icky.
Hmm, I do not see it as boring. Her S4 "relationship" i think is most realistic and once one realizes the "psychology" behind why and how it came to be, it gives us a great insight into how the mind of Buffy works and why Season Five happens :)
Angel has total of 5 seasons and its less "Angel The Show" and more of "the other side of the coin of what is happening in the buffyverse".
Angel is important part of it and A LOt of what happens gives us a 180 degree different point of view into his character(let's just say he is far more interesting when Buffy is not around), but its more about all those people around Angel and how the both shows interact with each other.
Season Five of ATS is also an "overall" epilogue for the tv show as it happens AFTER the last season of Buffy and explores on what the hell happened.
And yes, both in BTVS and ATS, Season Four is viewed in controversial manner.
IN BTVS, because its a "transition", an interlude between the start three and end-three seasons, that looks back at everything that happened, at where those characters are now, and focuses less on overall season-wide plotline.
IN ATS, because Whedon's having way too much fun trolling the fanbase.
Ok these episodes were quite inconsistent but were the basis of the following. Something I really liked was that Buffy was a virgin because now at shows from The CW, all at the age of 17 did not wait (this is not MTV 16 & Pregnant, this is also for you Cassie) and wanted to give this to Angel, someone who really loved. Of course she did not know what would bring consequences. the first time I saw the episode I hate because I love the couple that makes Buffy and Angel, actually represent a doomed relationship, especially vampire Angel is 240 years and tortured by his actions (unlike Stefan is sometimes a bit girl, I'm a fan TVD but Stefan is not for my own character) all you want to repair the damage that caused. Little by little we will see how pure love becomes sadistic.
Joyce is the typical mother of the 90's, do not understand and never will understand and when she tries to worse, Xander and Cordelia are great together, chapter 16 I think one of the best of the season. Willlow is the character that identifies us all some time because our lives were like her. Giles now that I have 21 I find it very attractive (sorry excites me the British accent), is the rock for my paternal Buffy, the only one who supports and understands.
And those who still say Spike is the best, sorry Spike for me was the second choice at all, if the feedback was great and was bold to Buffy in every sense (never understand how he killed two jackets) even so Spike could never could with the shadow of Angel / Angelus. Dru is a demented vampire love. simply exquisite!
Angel as a character in the world of Buffy was always a secondary role in his own series grew and deepened in the history of é much as Spike, Dru and Darla.
Sorry for my English Blame Google translator, I'm from Spain/Venezuela jajaj xD I like so much your recaps and I agree with you. How they smoke???
If you ever need to leave a comment in Spanish, it's all good because I read it fluently. And who's Cassie? Like from TSC? CONFUSED. XD
Joyce is so oblivious. Xander and Cordelia ARE the best.
Muchas Gracias, sé leer en Inglés pero me cuesta mucho redactar. Si me refería a Cassie de TSC , porque lo he discutido con mis amigas, a los cinco minutos que está sola con Adam se convierte en una soft porn me desilusionó muchisímo. Es algo que amó de Buffy, estos chicos son adolescentes que viven en un mundo de cambios y de hormonas, a pesar de lo sobrenatural (que por Dios no han pensado mudarse sinceramente) vemos como experimentar por primera vez el primer amor, la primera desilusión y todas las ganas que sentimos por el sexo a través de ellos. También representan lo hermoso de la amistad.
Además que adoro es la secuencia de la serie con la historia, lo verás más adelante, siempre mantienen referencia con un evento en el pasado aunque estén en la temporada 6 y concuerda con lo que has visto. Ahora en los shows se olvidan lo que sucedió hace tres capítulos. Otra que me fascina que lo he visto con los repeticiones de la serie es que cada personaje tiene un capitulo centrado en ellos, no siempre cae el centro de atención Buffy la cazadora; me gusta que desarrollen cada historia secundaria y que aporta a la principal. En general la serie de pone mas buena cada episodio y entenderas porque fue tan revolucionaria en su tiempo. Para mi fue ver a una chica heroína pero con nuestros problemas y seamos sinceros SMG matando vampiros era la bomba!!!!!! Y los Intros son lo mejor de la serie... Quiero que vuelvan....
agreed about comparison with steffie and angelus.
TVD portrays their vampire romances as "something omg epiiiiic", ignoring the very logical FACT that those vampires are that - vampries. ageless, hundreds of years killers interested in underage schoolgirls. As A result, Steffie, Damon, do not feel like their age. TVD would have done itself a favor if they followed Moonlight and just let Steffie and Damon be turned in 80's or something, explaining their teenagery behavior. And even then Mick of Moonlight felt far older even being turned in 60's-80's.
BTVS never portrays Buffy/Angel as something "right" or "epic". Its sad and somewhat creepy and a total mismatch considering on how different of people they are, both in their mentalities(one being a schoolgirl and other being bassically more than hundred year old man). You have those two people completely dissilusioned with everything - you have Buffy who views Angel as something normal for her life,a romance, feeling being needed, comforted. And you have Angel whom Buffy makes feel like human, like worthy of redeeming himself. But in the end its all about what they want to be, not what they are.
Thanks for the recap:) some random stuff: the monkey in the dream sequence is related to the animal cracker convo willow had with oz a few eps back. She says (in French, because oz said the monkey is always French) something about the hippo having his trousers. It's to add that eerie feeling of the dream having psychic/foreshadowing aspects because we have no reason to think buffy would know about that. And I thinks she sees Dru because she is actually the threat right now, not spike.
Re the smoking, angel fed off the smoking woman after she had taken a drag so he released that breath of hers. I love that scene, when we first learn what's happened.
Well I have to say I'm disappointed you didn't enjoy 'innocence'. Not knowing that was coming, the audience at the time it screened was just off their heads with the horror of it for Buffy, and shocked at seeing what he was like because angelus had always been almost an urban legend. The curse-well, I always assumed it was limited by the capabilities of their magic. So they could give him back his soul to cause eternal torment, but if it stopped working there would be, like, a Cinderella midnight moment. At least he wouldn't live happily ever after.
Lol spike, the pressure is really on him! I feel bad because every one seems to have hyped him to the point where you can't possibly get it. Just forget trying to see what others see and enjoy the show I think! Not everyone loves spike's character. I personally quite dislike Buffy especially as the seasons go on. But I don't expect others to!
No no no no! I didn't NOT enjoy Surprise and Innocence! I DID! Ahh! Don't get confused. I was just saying that I like Bad Eggs more from this bunch is all.
Smoking: Angel actually smokes again in this episode. I'm pretty certain he takes out a cigarette when he's talking to Spike and Dru. Still extremely confused.
Monkey: Let me have my Friends reference!!! :D
And hahaha I'm trying not to listen to all the opinions. TRYING.
But...but....how could bad eggs be better than innocence, where IT all begins?! I confess I didn't rewatch bad eggs in my time limited viewing window, because it somehow felt a bit off to me- something about that big cave where they were all digging away or something...I don't know, it felt off. I do like the creepy parasite though.
Ah that's right re smoking- I think I previously commented on my sucking in air like blood theory but obviously you haven't bought it;)
I reckon it's the same monkey. 'Cause he has the same big brown eyes and, you know, the little pouty chin.....see I'm back on board the Friends train:)
Well, let's just say that from now on there are more "Prophecy Girl" and "Innocence" like episodes and less of "bad eggs" and "inca mummy girl" like episodes. :)
As for breathing, well Vampires obviously can inhale, otherwise they could not suck blood, right? So I guess he inhales the cigarette and then just lets the smoke come out on its own :P
Vampires on the show can clearly breathe, both inhale and exhale. This is evidenced by the fact that they can talk, which is pushing air over/through the vocal cords. I think all that is meant when they say that vampires do not breathe is that they do not breathe for respiration; it is not necessary for them to live.
Bad Eggs is...eh....let's just say not my favorite episode and the only reason I even rewatch it is because of the Snyder's scene that introduces us into more wide Sunnydale conspiracy AND because of Buffy scaring the cowboy vamp by climbing out of that hole. Otherwise...yeah...
Surprise on other hand is the episode where I completely fell in love with the show, married it and never ever wanted to file for a divorce.
The dream at the start of Surprise is even more unsettling if one knows french, as what Dream-WIllow says is essentially what Oz said about monkeys wearing pants few episodes ago. Now, Buffy was not there when that happened, so Buffy KNOWING stuff that she never saw happening is already creepy enough.
The second dream on other hand is bassically Joss Whedon laughing at you - Drusilla kills Angel, right? Nope. The dream foreshadows Buffy being the "end" of Angel, as Drusilla in the dream wears an IDENTICAL dress to Buffy's.
Also what I find interesting is that Buffy and Drusilla essentially SHARED a dream(Drusilla says "I dreamed that you will come"), so Buffy's dreams are not just able of seeing stuff she has no way of knowing, prophesying stuff, BUT ALSO can be shared, as in someone else COULD BE IN HER DREAM? that is creepy on in itself.
I love the vulnerability Buffy presents in Innocence. The whole behavior and portrayal of traumatic experience her first time turned into to? Crying on the bed? Attacking Jenny? Its all so human and beautiful and the episode would not have that kind of a punch without it.
I love how "free" Angelus feels, without any restraints, without any sort of burden. I also love the insight this gives into Angel himself, as soul in buffyverse is essentially "morality" a restraint that stops us from acting on all of our urges and desires. Which means that everything Angelus represents was ALWAYS in Angel. Its always in Angel and its the reason why Angel is so outright uncomfortable - he is constantly repressing a lot of his darkest urges due to the guilt he feels. , thus having a damn good feasible reason to brood.
Spike on other hand. Its painful to watch the dynamics between Angel/Drusilla/Spike change.
Once Angelus is in the picture, its like Spike never was there for Drusilla. She is all about the monster who made her this way and it clearly pains Spike, who has been trying to be what Drusilla needs. For Angelus on other hand, this situation brings joy as he seems to really enjoy taunting Spike about his helplessness in this situation.
Also I just love the last exchanges between Giles and Buffy and Buffy and Joyce, representing perfectly what Buffy needs from her parent figures:
Giles offers understanding and Support. He does not blame her, even if she blames herself. He respects and trusts her and wants to help her get through all of this.
Joyce is the "anchor" reaffirming that Buffy still seems the "same" to her. Buffy is still her little girl. No matter what happened or what could have happened that she does not know, Buffy will always be the same for her, which gives Buffy a sort of comfort.
Spike is not loved because he's a badass but because of his emotional awareness, his vulnerability and his guts. Even at this early stage when his character has not been fully developed his love for Drusilla will lead him to do stuff that's very unusual for a vampire. As time passes he will show that he understands other characters emotions better than they do, including Buffy's and Angel's.
Yep.
I would not say that that makes him "un-badass". It adds depth to his badass moments.
Spike is the most "emotional" out of entire Fanged Four. Angelus is all about psychopathy, art, all calculating and emotionless. Darla is all about mayhem and fun. Dru is well...insane. Out of them all, Spike is the most "emotional".
he is all about "living in the heat of the moment", without pretending, without any sort of trickery(because he is so damn bad at that). He is all about being who he is. And that sort of "honesty" makes him do the most crazy and unpredictable things .
That, alongside his genre-savvy-ness and moments of utter badassery is what attracts people to his character.
I was going to say you kind of have to watch at least season 4 and 5 in conjunction to Angel's seasons 1 and 2 because most of the time the Angel episodes were follow-ups to the Buffy episodes. Back in the day when the commercials came on (when they were still on the same network), it was advertised as if it was a big 1 hour episode and I personally think you would get lost if you don't watch at least angel season 1 and 2 with buffy season 4 and 5. I mean I know people don't like season 4 and 5 (I do) but those seasons had some great episodes I mean Hush is in season 4, people.
I agree.
Its not just 4 and 5 though.
Even BTVS S6, Angel S3 share the themes with each other quite a lot. Both shows, sort of "complete" each other thematically. Angel S4 and BTVS S7 are also quite closely connected in various ways that help to paint the whole picture and Angel S5 is basically almost all about answering the questions left from Buffy series finale twists and turns.
Also? Some People DO NOT Like fifth season? First time hearing that, considering its pretty much called the BEST season of the show by the fandom. (For me though BTVS S5 and S6 and S7 are equally great and the best things to happen to the genre tv)
Yeah there are some folks who don't like anything after high school. I am not one of them. I enjoy the entire series because each season has a clear theme and there was a point in a whole scheme of things.
I just meant for plot reasons Michael should really watch season 4 and 5 with Angel season 1 and 2. I personally love BTVS season 2 the most because the Angelus arc and it was when shit got real for our heroes. However my second favorite season is season 6, then season 3 but that may be because I was into the Bangel pairing (it may had to do with my love for David who is from Philly and I recall for the wb promos in Philadelphia, he used to say "you are watching my hometown, Philadelphia's WB17").
Also I was six when Surprise first aired and my mom and I happen to be watching it, when Buffy and Angel had sex, my mom after the episode turned the tv off and said no more Buffy. Of course that didn't stick because I got a tv in my room later that week, so I watched it behind her back and she got over it by the time I turned seven though (but I think it led to the "talk").
It's so nice to hear that someone loves 5,6,and 7!! When I start my random rewatches or just pick an ep for a day, it's always one from those. Only when I do an "actual" rewatch do I start from the beginning. People seem to hate S6, but it's seriously my fave. And although I don't a lot of S7's eps, it is just great to see the character development going on. And then Buffy ends. UGH. :) I want a special kind of lobotomy to remove my Buffy (and LOST) memories so I can watch for the "first time."
that should be *don't like a lot of S7.....
Yep, I love S5, S6 and S7 for the HUGE amount character development it gives to characters, how those seasons take an EVEN DEEPER look into what makes those characters tick, reaffirming what is real and revealing on what is just a facade.
A lot of character decisions in the earlier seasons fall into place with that.
Some people seemed to complain that "end three" seasons are "too dark" , but frankly the show HAS been getting to that point and getting darker with every major twist. With everything those characters went through, with everything they did, with how they changed, going back to more "cheery" tone of Season One would break the narrative, as the events of the last three seasons are something that was slowly built up with every episode before them.
One can clearly see on how those people got to this exact point and why and thats what I freaking love so much about this show.
Can I point out the whisper seems to go away when he becomes Angelus. But Angelus is where I think tvd writers keep effing up because they always want to give humanity to the villain because they think that will add more layers but in some cases it washes the character down (i.e. Klaus, Damon and even dark Stefan). Angelus truly didn't give a shiznit, didn't love anyone but didn't hate anyone, he just effed your life up because he can and it was fun. However Angelus is not the normal dumb soulless vampire, he is smart. Smarter than the heroes because while he lies, he also telling you the truth, which is crazy. I have to say seeing David Boreanez in their arc, is why I can understand why he is technically the only BTVS to have work consistently for the last 16 years (the other being Alyson Hannigan followed by Anthony Head).
Yep. Angelus is far more "free".
Angel is STRONGLY tormented by his past, feels hard to connect or to express himself, because he is trying to restrict his own darker sides and resist various temptations.
Angelus is free from that, free from guilt, complexes, insecurities. Free to act upon his desires. Thus Angelus talks in far more clear voice
And Yep. Angelus is pretty much a genius, an artist of death. Normal vampires are all about feeding and acting upon their desires and emotions.
Angelus is in total control of his emotions. Love, hate, anger? Those are just words to him. The only one he truly cares about is himself.
Angelus is all about creating a masterpiece of death, breaking down his opponents mentally, setting up the scene of the play, so the play goes exactly to what he wants. Its not enough for him to just "kill". Because the process of death is an art to him.
I would not even say Angelus "lies". He just so masterfully presents the truth in the ways that benefit him. He pretends, manipulates and cheats. He is someone who can turn people against each other, lead coutnries down to war, with just a few right words at the right time.
The fact that David Boreanaz gets better and better with every second and seems to have so much FUN playing Angelus also helps to create such a terrifying villain and is the reason why DB still gets acting jobs even now, including some of VERY major ones.